Order

As a naturally messy person, I find myself drawn to neat, tidy objects and spaces. Sure, it’s fun to celebrate chaos every once in a while. But it’s others’ visions of order and harmony, from colonnades to geometric patterns on tiles, that most often intrigue me (and, by extension, my camera). You can imagine, then, how thrilling it was to stumble upon this pastry display a few weeks ago. (Yes, I also have a notorious sweet tooth, but it wasn’t just that — I swear on the cookie I’m currently enjoying.)

Baking is by definition an activity for those of us obsessed with nitpicking and tweaking; this, though — dozens of éclairs, identically sized and spaced, decorated with military precision — elevated “order” to a different, sublime sphere. Whoever pulled this off should never come over for a visit, I thought: they’d faint as soon as they’d set foot in my kitchen.

This week, share your take on order, whether literal, figurative, or anything in between (and sure — showing it next to a healthy dose of messiness is fine, too). From library stacks to sock drawers and from ancient temples to modern train stations, let your inner disciplinarian take over.